Recorded this afternoon, the last-but-one installment in my Mazurka cycle. The 30.1 and 30.2 are re-recordings (thanks Olaf and Monica for your valuable comments on the first versions - I think these are better because of you). I'll probably record the Op.33 set next weekend.

All four are played very well. You obviously studied these very carefully. The second one is my favorite.

You mentioned that you feel you improved from the advice of Monica and Olaf. That's one of the best parts of Piano Society for me. I pay close attention to constructive criticism and know that my playing has improved from doing so. I'm always grateful when you, Monica, Olaf and others provide feedback. Even when I disagree, at least it encourages me to give more thought to the music.

Wow, your second from last set? I may have to ask you to marry me now - I mean after you complete the last one. (I think I know what you'll say )

Anyway, these all sounded like you played them with much feeling and the careful study is evident.

30 - 1 sounded perfect to me

30 - 2 Still a pretty fast tempo but you pull it off better this time. Especially those tricky lines. You also add a bit of staccato playing here and there (example bar 9 and 13) but I think this is just your style, which is fine.

30 - 3 Only a very small detail - the rhythm on the 2nd bar of the 'con anima.'
the c-flat is a dotted eighth to a sixteenth note e-flat.

30 - 4 Never played or heard this one before. It sounds hard to play and I didn't hear anything bad so you did fine.

By now, I think that I can pick out your Mazurkas even if I didn't know you were playing them. You have a definite style, which works with them - that little 'bounce' now and then, your big forte parts, good trills, even better mordents. Fine job on all four of these!

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

I have a question: why don you give yourself the sought-after title of "complete recording by" for every Mazurka opus? Recording a complete opus, and then all of the mazurkas, is an acheivement in itself, just like recording all of the preludes.

_________________Madam, what makes you think that I play with my hands?

Wow, your second from last set? I may have to ask you to marry me now - I mean after you complete the last one. (I think I know what you'll say )

Well I don't know if bigamy is legal in your neck of the woods.... it sure is not here. But it's the thought that counts

pianolady wrote:

30 - 2 Still a pretty fast tempo but you pull it off better this time. Especially those tricky lines. You also add a bit of staccato playing here and there (example bar 9 and 13) but I think this is just your style, which is fine.

This one still does not come easily, and again I could not avoid some slips in the 4-voice part. I tried hard to get something better but it only seemed to get worse. It is much slower that the previous version though.

pianolady wrote:

30 - 3 Only a very small detail - the rhythm on the 2nd bar of the 'con anima.' the c-flat is a dotted eighth to a sixteenth note e-flat.

DAMN... I'll have to re-record it now Wonder how I came to miss that.

pianolady wrote:

By now, I think that I can pick out your Mazurkas even if I didn't know you were playing them. You have a definite style, which works with them - that little 'bounce' now and then, your big forte parts, good trills, even better mordents. Fine job on all four of these!

I have botched up far too many triils and mordents in the past - have resolved to take just a little more time over them and do them right, as they seem very improtant especially in the Mazurkas.
Big forte parts, yeah At last lessons are having some effect.

30-2: I like it too, especially the beginning parts with different dynamics and articulation (e.g. staccato thing in the repetition). In the following part with poco a poco cresc. one could imagine a stronger escalation, and in the repetition you start not again soft, that's why the cresc. don't come so well here.There are much repetitions on the 2nd page, and maybe one could make them a bit more interesting through different dynamics (although there are no markings for that in the IMSLP score). It is well played alltogether, the above mentioned things are subjective and of minor importance. Maybe it is worth a try for the crescendi part (bar17-24, then again) to not only raise the volume, but too the speed? Then again slow and soft at bar 25, followed by the next increase in volume and speed. Just an idea (did not tried out, only after looking in the score), maybe a bad one.

30-3: Very well played, firm left hand. You do much for dynamics, nevertheless there is still room to do even more, since this piece seems to need strong contrasts (the alternating short pp and ff parts). But your playing style fits very well with the risoluto marking.

30-4: Beautiful too. Much dynamics, and a really strong fortissimo. According to the score, seems not to be the easiest Mazurka (it seems to me that Chopin took the most difficult Mazurka in every opus as last one) - and very well managed.

Kudos! Also that you give the Mazurkas through your interpretation different characters and don't try to treat them all the same. They are all soooo different.

Thanks for the comments Olaf. Yes there is always room to do more. I find the 30-2 one of the hardest in the entire book and don't feel totally comfortable with it yet. But I think I'll leave it for a while now.

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